1/6/14
  • Starter Activity: (All questions relate to English class, of course :))
    • Title- 1st semester reflection
    • How are you going to make the most of the second half of your year?
    • What were your strengths last semester?
    • What were your weaknesses?
    • How are you going to make this semester better?
  • IR Project Pitfalls
    • MLA FORMAT
    • EDITING
    • Depth/Detail
    • Following directions
  • Re-iteration of expectations
    • MLA Format
    • Editing your work
    • Coming to class prepared
    • Being "with" me in class- not distracted
    • Saving work (appropriate folder, titled EXACTLY what I have asked)
  • Assign: Study Island Assignments
  • TFA Background (there is a "Background worksheet" in Google Drive to help you take notes if necessary) (Google Drive --> RWWS Shared Folder --> Things Fall Apart --> Background Worksheet)
  • Homework:
    • Chapters 1-3 TFA (document located in Google Drive --> RWWS shared folder --> Things Fall Apart --> TFA Short- .pdf file)
    • Study Island (Parts of Speech assignment) due Thursday night @ midnight
      • HINT- View the Parts of Speech resources under Resources--> Grammar if you need help!)
    • 3rd period- Thursday Letter
    • IR Choice #3- book selected by Monday

1/7/14
  • Starter Activity:
    • Title- Things Fall Apart
    • Code- RL 2-3
    • Write a brief summary of what you read last night. (5-7 sentences) -- (Imagine you are giving your friend a plot summary of a movie- don't go into TOO much detail, but enough to let me know you read last night!)
  • ?
  • Assign: Character Chart, Oral Elements (In Google Drive)
    • In your RWWS folder, Create a folder called "Things Fall Apart"
    • Copy the Character Chart and the Oral Elements chart in your TFA folder
  • TFA Chapter 4
  • Homework
    • TFA through Chapter 6
    • Study Island due Thursday night @ midnight
    • 3rd period- Thursday Letter
    • IR Choice #3- book selected by Monday

1/8/14
  • Starter Activity:
    • Title: Okonkwo
    • Code: RL 3-1
    • What are your thoughts on the character of Okonkwo so far? Do you like him? Why or why not?
    • Why would Achebe make Okonkwo the "protagonist" of his novel?
  • Discuss Chapters 4-6
  • Drumbeats video (In Google Drive)
  • Video reflection: What did you notice during the video? Write down observations you made about the drummers, about the crowd, the event, etc.
  • TFA Chapter 7
  • Homework:
    • Study Island due Thursday night @ midnight
    • 3rd period- Thursday Letter
    • IR Choice #3- book selected by Monday

1/9/14
Due (3rd): Thursday Letter
  • Starter Activity:
    • Log into Google Drive --> RWWS shared folder --> Things Fall Apart and access the "Abraham and Isaac" document
    • SILENTLY and INDEPENDENTLY read this document.
    • Open notebooks to your next RIGHT blank page
    • Title: Abraham and Issac
    • Code: RL 5-1, RL 7-1, RL 9-1
    • Answer the following question in 5-7 complete sentences:
      • What similarities do you see between the stories of Abraham and Isaac to that of Okonkwo and Ikemefuna?
  • Discuss: Abraham and Isaac
    • On the LEFT page (across from your opening activity, jot down notes as we discuss in groups/as a class
  • Comparison: Okonkwo/Ikemefuna & Abraham/Isaac
  • Chapter 8
  • Homework:
    • Study Island due tonight @ midnight
    • IR Choice #3- book selected by Monday
    • Lit Terms 2 chart due on Tuesday when class starts
      • (find chart in Google Drive ---> Shared RWWS folder --> Templates --> Literary Terms 2)
      • Make a copy of this document
      • Save the document in your RWWS folder --> Literary Terms folder, titled "Lit Terms 2 Chart"

1/10/14
1st and 2nd period
  • TFA Chapter 9
  • Work on Lit Terms Chart
  • Homework:
    • Lit Terms 2 Chart due Tuesday when class starts
    • IR Choice 3 due Monday

1/13/14
Due (All): IR Choice #3
  • Starter Activity:
  • 5th period- finish A/I & O/I discussion :)
  • Assign: Study Island- Agreement and Voice
  • Folk Tales
    • In Google Drive --> Things Fall Apart --> Folk Tales, open the assignment page (this page also includes the rubric for this assignment).
    • Independently read your folk tale
    • Write a brief summary of your folk tale in your notebook (title- Folk Tale Summary, code RL 2-3)
  • Homework:
    • Study Island- Agreement and Voice due 1/16 @ MIDNIGHT
    • Lit Terms Chart 2 due tomorrow
    • 5th- Thursday Letter
    • TFA Ch 10-11

1/14/14
Due (All): Lit Terms 2 Chart
  • Starter Activity:
    • Title- TFA 10-11 Summary
    • Code- RL 2-3
    • Write a brief summary of what you read last night. (5-7 sentences)
  • Lit Terms 2 chart check:
    • One person/table needs to write all students @ table's names on sticky note
    • Record how much of their chart is complete (0, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%) (use the closest #)
    • Bring sticky note to front
  • Review Lit Terms 2
  • Assign: Lit Terms 2 Review ppt
    • When we have gone over the terms and ensured you have the correct definitions, CREATE a presentation for your literary terms in your "Literary Terms" folder
    • Create a title slide with the name of the Lit Terms List (e.g. "Lit Terms 02") and your complete assignment heading (name, teacher, subject, date).
    • On the next slides, use text and/or pictures to create an example of each lit term being used. Do NOT present the terms in the same order as the list, and do NOT include the answer on the slide. Be sure that your examples use proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar. DO make sure to create an example slide for every one.
    • On your final slide, list the answers for each slide in order.
    • Save your completed slideshow as First Name Last Initial Literary Terms 2
    • (Note: for the terms that you had xxxxs in the boxes for the example, you will put the definition and not an example for those words.)
  • Friendly Reminder: Keep up with your Character chart (and Oral traditions- not as prominent right now...) they MAY be VERY useful to you tomorrow!
  • Folk Tales work time
  • Homework:
    • Study Island- Agreement and Voice due 1/16 @ MIDNIGHT
    • 5th- Thursday Letter
    • Lit Terms 2 Review ppt
    • TFA Ch 12

1/15/14
QUIZ- Part 1 of TFA
  • Starter Activity:
    • Open up a NEW internet browser
    • Log into Google Drive and open your character chart (this should be the ONLY tab open on your computer)
    • Get out a writing utensil and clear your desk of everything else.
    • Read silently until all are ready.
  • Quiz- Part 1 TFA
    • 25 minutes max on this quiz
  • When finished:
    • Study Island
    • Lit Terms 2 Review ppt
    • Folk Tales
  • Homework:
    • Study Island- Agreement and Voice due tomorrow @ MIDNIGHT
    • 5th- Thursday Letter
    • Lit Terms 2 Review ppt

1/16/14
Due (5th): Thursday Letter
  • Starter Activity:
    • Get with your group and make sure your presentation is ready!!!!
  • Present: Folk Tales
  • Lit Terms 2 Review ppt work time
  • Homework:
    • Study Island- Agreement and Voice due tonight @ MIDNIGHT
    • Lit Terms 2 Review ppt

1/17/14
3rd and 4th Period
Due (All): Lit Terms 2 Review ppt
  • Independent Reading Day



1/20/14

MLK DAY





1/21/14

  • Starter Activity:
    • Which character from TFA is your favorite so far? Which is your least favorite? Explain your reasoning.
    • Title: Characters in TFA
    • Code: RL 3-1
  • TFA Chapter 13
  • Assign: Character Assignments
  • Parts of Speech Lesson
  • Homework:
    • Study Island- Capitalization and Punctuation due 1/23 @ midnight
    • 3rd period- Thursday Letter
    • All- TFA Ch. 14





1/22/14

Snow day!



1/23/14

Due (3rd): Thursday Letter

  • Starter Activity:
    • What changes do you see in the character of Okonkwo now that he is in this new village? Do you feel sympathetic for him? Why or why not?
    • Title: Changes in OK
    • Code: RL 3-1
  • Announcements:
    • Lit Terms 2 test postponed until TUESDAY
    • Quiz on TFA Chapters 13-20 on MONDAY
  • Go over: Subject/verb agreement and active/passive voice
  • TFA Ch 15
  • Homework:
    • Study Island- Capitalization and Punctuation due @ midnight
    • 3rd period- Thursday Letter
    • TFA Ch 16-20



1/24/14

5th and Clubs

  • Independent Reading Day!!!!